Vehicle-wheel brake.



No. 645,58. Patented Mar. m,y |900. G. N. wnmual VEHICLE WHEEL BRAKE.

. (Applicatiqn filed IIJec.l B, 1599.) @No Model.) 2 -Skeeter-Sheet l.

G Snom/pto@ WW1/mow I @2% il] 'rmym No. 645,58. l Patented Mar. ls,leon;

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VEHICLE WHEEL BRAKE.

(Application hledlec. 8, V1.899.)

2 Sheets-Shed 2.

No Model.)

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UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE NESTOR WINDLE, OF FRAZIERS BOTTOM, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO JAMES HOWARD DONNALLY AND `IA-MES R. EVERS, OF SAME PLACE.v

VEH I CLE-WH EEL BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION rforming; partei Letters Patent No. 645,158, dated March13, 1900.

Applicationiedntcemter8,1899. serial-N0. 739,688. di@ model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE NESTOR WIN- DLE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Fraziers Bottom, in the vcounty of Putnam and Stateof lVest Virginia, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Wheel Brake,of whichthe followingis a specification.

In vehicle-wheel brakes as ordinarily applied to carriages, wagons, &c.some difficulty has 4been experienced in securing a propera-nd uniformaction or pressure of the brake-shoes on the rims of the wheels, theshoe at one side often bearing with greater pressure than that upon theother or being out of contact entirely with its respective wheel andthrowing all the work on a single shoe, whichof course results in thetoo-rapid wearing away of said shoe.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a simple economicalbrake and operative connections therefor whereby the brakebeam is to aconsiderable extent self-adjusting, so as to insure a uniformapplication of the shoes to their respective wheels.

It is also an object of the invention to provide, in connection withsuch brake-beam, an equalizing-traveler in connectionwith a system ofmultiplying-pulleys around which a exible brake connection runs, therebyenabling any desiredpower to be transmitted by the operator to thebrake-beam.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brakebeam of suchconstruction as to adapt the brake mechanism as a whole to be applied tovehicles of different treads.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the courseof the ensuing description.

The invention consists in a vehicle-wheel brake embodying certain novelfeatures and details of construction and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, andincorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure i is a bottom planV view of avehicle, showing the brake mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section through the same. Fig. 3 is a detailperspective View of the brake-beam with its traveler-rod. Fig. et is adetail plan view showing the ratchetwheel on the brake staff and thespringpressed detent engaging therewith.

f Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings. Y

The brake contemplatedjin Athis invention is especially adapted tospring buggies, carriages, and wagons having a non-removable orstationary body.

In carrying out the present invention Iemploy a hollow brake-beam l,which vis composed of a plurality of tubular sections telescopicallyarranged so as to slide one within the other and to be held whenadjusted by means of a fastening device 2, which may be' in the natureof a binding-'screw or a clampcollar,accordingtopreference. Byconstructing the brake-beam in this manner it is rendered extensible, sothat it may be increased or diminished in length for correspondinglyvarying the distance between the brake-shoes 4, which are applied to theend portions thereof. The beam 1 is swung in pivotal links 3.

Extending alongside the brake-beam 1 is a traveler-rod 5, which isconnected at its eX- tremities to the brake-beam. In order to o- Vyieldor rather enable one or the other of the brake-shoes to yield and bearwith a yielding pressure against its respective wheel in order tocompensate for inequalities in the wheel or obstructions which mayadhere thereto. The

traveler-rod is also bowed or curved at its central portion, as shown at8, the distance between the brake-beam and the traveler-rod beinggreatest at the center of both ofsaid parts.

IOO

A retracting-spring 9 is connected at oney in that it acts to throw thebrake-shoes off the wheels and also keep taut the flexible connection bymeans of which the brake-beam is operated.' l p Working upon thetraveler-rod isa traveler comprising a traveler-wheel l1, grooved totraverse the traveler-rod, a pulley-wheel 12,

anda connecting-frame comprising parallel plates or links 13,Whiclireceive the spindles of said wheel and pulley and serve to couple'them together.

Connected to the rear axle or other convenient part of the running-gearvis a bracket or block 14, in which is journaled Connected to thebracket.

a groove-pulley 15.` is an eye 16, and attached to said eye is aflexible connection 17, the said connection being secured at one end tothe eye 16, passingV thence forward around the traveler-pulley, thencerearward around the pulley-15, and thence forward toa point adjacent tothe front axle, where it connects xedly with and is adapted to be woundupon a brake-staff 18, suitably mounted upon a vehicle and provided withan operating-handle 19 within convenient reach of the operator. Thestaff is also provided with a ratchet-wheel 20, in connection with whichoperates an intermediatelyfulcrumed foot lever or detent 21, which isheld in engagement with the ratchet-wheel by means of anactuating-spring 22. A. stop-pin 23 is placed at a suitable point tocoperate with and limit the movement of the detent as thelatter isthrown out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel on the brake-staff.

In view of the foregoing descriptionit will be seen that by turning thebrake-staff and winding the flexible brake connection thereon thetraveler is drawn toward the rear axle, and on account of the bow orcurvature of the traveler-rod the traveler will always work toward thecenter of the traveler-rod, so as-to equalize the pressure on bothbrakeshoes, or, more accurately speaking, force the brake-shoes withequal or uniform pressure against their respective wheels. At the sametime the brake-shoes are yieldingly held against their respective Wheelsby means of the spring traveler-rod, thus avoiding the liability offracturing the brake-beam or other partsV of the apparatus in case of anobject becoming wedged between either one of the brake-shoes and itswheel. The brake-shoes may be adjusted in or out onthe brake-beamV toprovide any'number of multiplying-pulleys for usev in connection withthe traveler in order to attainany desired braking power from thebrake-statt. The eXible connection which attaches to the brake-shaft andwhich works upon the pulleys may consist of a chain with short links ormay be composed of a wire cable, as may be found most expedient inpractice andas may be required by 'the nature or size of the vehicleupon which the brake mechanism is employed.

From the foregoing it isr thoughtthat the construction, operation, andmany advantages'of the herein-described invention -will be apparent t-othose skilled inthe art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes. in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without-departingv fromthe lspirit .or'sacrificingany of the` advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention,what I claimv as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. In a vehicle wheel brake, a movablebrake-beam carrying brake-shoes and a yieldable traveler-rod fast withthe beam, in combination with brake connections having a slidingandself-adjusting connection with said yieldabletraveler-rod,substantially as specified. l

2. In a vehicle-wheel brake, a movable brake-beam provided with ayieldable traveier-rod, in combination with a traveler, and a brakeconnection attached to said traveler, substantially as vset forth.

3. In a vehicle-wheel brake, a movable brake-beam provided with a'yieldable traveler-rod having an intermediate bowedv portion, incombination lwith an eqnalizing-traveler to which the brake-operatingdevices are connected, substantially as set forth.

4. In a vehicle-wheel brake, a movable brake-beam provided with a bowedtravelerrod, in combination with a traveler adapted to be deflected bythe bowed rod toward the central `portion of the beam, and a brakeconnection attached to said traveler, substantially as set forth.

5. In a vehicle-wheel brake, a movable brake-beam provided with a springtravelerrod, in combination with a traveler, and a brake connectionattached to said traveler, substantially as set forth.

6. In a vehicle-wheelV brake, a spring-retracted brake-beam providedwith a travelerrod, in combination with a traveler, and a brakeconnection attached to said traveler, substantially as set forth.

7. In a vehiclewheel brake, a movable brake-beam, and a traveler-rodmade fast with said beam within the end portions thereof, in combinationwith a traveler comprising a traveler-wheel, a pulley, and aconnecting-frame, and a brake connection attached to said traveler,substantially as set forthA IIO 8. In a vehicle wheel brake, a mo'vablebrake-beam provided with a traveler-rod, in combination with a traveler,a flexible brake vconnection attached to said traveler, and a set ofpower-multiplyin g pulleys for said flexible connection, substantiallyas set forth.

9. In a vehicle-wheel brake, a longitudinally-extensible brake-beamcomprising a plurality of telescopically assembled see' tions, and meansfor relatively iixing said sections, in combination with oscillatorybearings in which the brake-beam is loosely mounted for swingingmovement therewith and extensible adjustment therein,and brakeconnections havin g slidable engagement with said beam, substantially asset forth.

10. Ina vehicle-Wheel brake, a longitudinally extensible `brake beamcomprising a plurality of telescopically assembled sections, means forrelatively fixing said sections, and a traveler-'rod connected with thebeam in such manner as to admit of said beam beingextended or contractedin length, substantially as specified.

' ing devices having a self-adjusting and yieldable connection with thebeam, and a repressing-spring for holding` the beam in a non-appliedposition.,

12. In a brake, the combination of oscillatory bearings, a brake-beam,loose brake-operating devices having a self-adjusting and yieldableconnection with said beam, and a rep ressing-spring operativelyassociated With the beam and the loose brake-operating devices to takeup the .slack in the latter and hold the beam in a non-applied position.

13. In a brake, the combination of an eX- tensible brake-beam, atraveler-rod clamped to individual sections of said beam,andbrakeoperating devices having self-adjusting connection with saidtraveler-rod.

14:.- In a brake, an extensible beam, a traveler-rod, and means forclamping the end portions of the traveler-rod to separate members ofsaid beam, combined with brake-operating devices having self-adjustingconnect-ion to the traveler-rod.

In-testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE NESTOR WINDLE.

IVitnesses:

B. M. FRAZIER, Gno. RONLEY.

